C.K. Yang (1988) - Hall of Fame

C.K. Yang

Induction:
1988

Perhaps the greatest athlete from Taiwan, C.K. Yang staged a memorable head-to-head duel in the 1960 Olympic decathlon with America's Rafer Johnson, his Bruin teammate (Johnson edged his training partner in a grueling competition that went down to the wire). He competed in the decathlon in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, where he first met Rafer Johnson and "Ducky" Drake. Drake's training techniques led Yang to continue his schooling at UCLA. A three-time National AAU champion in the decathlon (1959, 1962, and 1964), C.K. set a world record at the 1963 Mt. SAC Relays, was ranked number one in the world in 1962 and 1963, and was selected the "World's Best Athlete" by Sports Illustrated in 1963.